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Socceroo Good close to full fitness

Angela Habashy

Socceroo Curtis Good feared injury may have ruled him out of the World Cup, but the defender is close to full fitness and aiming to play in the farewell match against South Africa this month.

Good made his international debut in the friendly against Ecuador in March before limping off in the 68th minute of the 4-3 defeat with a hip flexor strain.

The injury ended his season with Scottish club Dundee United and he has not played a game in over two months.

Good, along with Western Sydney's Matthew Spiranovic, loom as the first-choice centre-backs with coach Ange Postecoglou overlooking veterans Lucas Neill and Sasa Ognenovski in his 30-man squad while injury ruled out stoppers Rhys Williams and Trent Sainsbury.

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Fourteen of the 30 are in camp in Terrigal, on the NSW central coast, and had their first team training session on Friday.

Good sat out the session but says he's only "a couple of days away" from full fitness.

"I'll have to talk with the physio, but they'll just ease me back in the next few days to full training," he said on Friday.

"I've had a long flight from the UK so I'll just take it easy the next few days."

The Socceroos face South Africa in Sydney on May 26, just two days before they depart for Brazil.

Good is hoping to play a part in the crucial World Cup warm-up clash.

"We've got 10 days so it's a definite target," he said.

Good impressed in the centre of defence alongside Spiranovic in the Ecuador game, and has been praised by Postecoglou for the strong display.

But the defender, who's loan deal from English Premier League side Newcastle to Dundee has now expired, says he thought his World Cup dream could be over with no game-time in the lead up to Brazil.

"I was always hopeful but you're always going to pick a fitter player over an injured player aren't you?", he said.

"Any injury is frustrating but especially when you know you could possibly be going to be World Cup."

In the inexperienced Socceroos squad defence is seen as the biggest problem area, but Good says even after just one international appearance he feels confident that he can live up to the deeds of some of those who've preceded him.

"It's hard to comment really because I haven't been involved with the those past defenders," he said.

"But what I've experienced so far, I feel quite confident. You look at it as a defence but we'll be defending as a whole team.

"We'll have experienced players around us too, so I'm not really worried about it."

Postecoglou will trim three players from his side the day after the South Africa match with the final 23 players to be named in Brazil on June 2.